Chapter 4

Response to reviews:

Kai: Umiki-sama is too lazy to reply to any of her reviews...but, she still appreciates the FEW she gets...

Kai: Here's chapter 4! Well, I hope you all like it!

Umiki: Heya, sorry about the really long space between this chapter and ch.3. I went on a trip. And couldn't bring my comp. And I am also starting high-school...So, if anyone expects me to have frequent updates, don't. 'Cuz I won't...

WWP: Hey, sorry if this is taking too long. Meh. Unlike K, I actually have a life. No offense to her. Anyway, I'm digressing. Lawl! :D

-Captain's hall-

Ayumu was nearly the last to enter the well-polished room, standing in the middle of the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest and a puzzled frown upon her features. Where was she supposed to stand? In Aizen's spot? Eww no. In Ichimaru's? Gross. In Tosen's? Spare her. Should she stand behind Kyoraku? They were both captains of the Eight Squad…

Growing quite tired of the young captain loitering in the doorway, Yamamoto simply pointed to the spot of the right of her previous captain. Restraining herself from squealing as she bunny-hopped to stand between Ukitake and Zaraki, Fujiwara gave a tiny, excited wave to the white-haired man. She was sure he would have waved back had the echoing sound of a heavy cane pounding the floor not stopped him.

The Captain's Meeting had begun.

"Captain Ayumu Fujiwara-"

"What? Oh…Heheh…Sorry." Ayumu coughed and her face flushed in embarrassment as the Head Captain glowered at her. It was a habit of hers to yell 'what?' whenever she heard her name being said.

Yamamoto cleared his throat and continued. "-of the American Soul Society has come to visit us."

Already, all eyes were on her at her outburst, and the teenage captain shrank down into her haori. This impression was not going all that well. She was tempted to yell 'stop staring at me!', but she was already in a spot of trouble, so she remained silent. When the stares wouldn't go away, she gazed off into space, shivering. Maybe she should have sent a letter… After all, they hadn't know that the slightly psycho ex- 4th seat from Kenpachi's division would ever return to the Japanese SS.

Ayumu coughed lightly and stood straighter. "Sir, may I tell the other reason that I am here?"

"Permission granted, Captain Fujiwara."

The caramel-haired girl gave a cute little bow and nodded. "I returned to Japan with some of my squad members because of my ex-lieutenant. He's known as Yue but, his real name is Yueno. He was my lieutenant up until recently. Yue left in a manner similar to they way Aizen left, leaving my squad broken. He left saying that a person named Sensei was his true master and that he was living for honorable reasons. We recently learned that he was spotted in Japan. And, just about an hour ago, we, my squad, Kenny-Hi, Kenny-, and I, saw him again, but he'd been changed. He's got these wolf ears. I..." Ayumu paused as her eyes glazed over a little. She continued after a few deep breaths.

"I lost it and tried turning him into Swiss cheese, but he just got up and smiled like nothing had happened. He then disappeared into a Garganta." Her strikingly blue eyes softly closed and she shook her head slightly.

The Captain of Squad Twelve gazed intently at the young girl with bright golden eyes, having not had paid attention until he had heard of a mutation. His gaze made her shift uncomfortably.

"My my, this is quite interesting. In your opinion, how do you think he might have gotten his extra…mmm…parts?" asked the scientist in a mocking voice. The blue-eyed Soul Reaper pursed her lips and shrugged.

"I dunno. He got bitten by a werewolf?" Ayumu snorted and began giggling until she realized that nobody else was laughing. She stared down at her feet, the room becoming quite hot and stuffy as she felt the gathered captains' eyes on her. She coughed.

"Um...that's all?" Fujiwara attempted to smile, shoulders rising in an unsure gesture. She frowned, before a grin spread to her features and she began jumping up and down, every impact with the hardwood floor making the bells chime.

Kenpachi raised a brow. "What's got you all riled up?" he wondered aloud, but already having a faint idea on the cause. After getting a girlish squeal in response, he turned his head to stare at the person opposite, then began a glaring contest with Mayuri.

The Head Captain shook his head sadly before opening his mouth to speak.

"It is decided. We will have the Court Guard Squads make regular patrols around Karakura in search for the traitor. Captain Fujiwara, you and your squad will be returning to Karakura. This meeting is dismissed," concluded the Yamamoto, tapping his cane upon the floor and formally ending the gathering. In one synchronized movement, all captains bowed and began filing out of the hall.

Ayumu gave another high-pitched fangirl shriek that made Komamura wince and streaked towards her friends.

"Ju! Shu! OMG hi!" exclaimed Ayumu, tackling Kyoraku hard enough to make the sturdy captain stumble for a moment. After giving him a big squeeze, her gaze turned to his best friend. Ukitake gulped, fearing the worst. Luckily, the hyper girl was merciful and didn't tackle him, but did crush hug him hard enough to make him turn a shade of purple.

Embarrassed, she quickly let go and began hopping up and down. "OMG! Guess what?" The two adults exchanged arched looks. "What?" Shunsui ventured, a playful smile upon his lips.

Fujiwara beamed, and bit her lip, looking around nervously and snickering to herself like it was some big secret. Leaning in closer, she wiggled with excitement before whispering, "I made it as a captain!" Her very large smile got even larger and the blonde gave both of her friends a hug. Kyoraku chuckled and patted her on the head.

Jushiro laughed, seemingly procuring a basket full of sweets from thin air and giving it to the young captain. "Yes, yes you did."

Ayumu gasped, hand to her mouth and a faint blush dusted her cheeks at the gift. This was one of the reasons she was totally infatuated with the invalid. Candy. Candy was always good. She accepted the basket, already planning to add it to the stash of sweets she had bought from Kisuke. "Thanks, Ju!" The blue-eyed girl gave him another hug.

When both the older captains gasped their zanpakuto, she was instantly confused. "Huh?" She turned around, and was relieved. It was only Kuroi, and not some Hollow or Arrancar.

Both hands flared before her, she waved her friends away. "Don't worry! She's my Third and a Half Seat! She's perfectly harmless," Fujiwara explained, hoping that Jushiro and Shunsui wouldn't attack the Hollow. They trusted her, and their hands returned to their sides.

"Captain, the rest are waiting for you. Also, you left your Soul Pager in the room," Kuroi reported, hand outstretching with a bedazzled blue cell phone. Ayumu nodded, hand behind her head and took it. She was nearly attached at the hip with that thing. How in the world could she leave it just lying there? She thanked Kuroi, and waved her away, trying to spend as much time as she could with her idols before she had to leave.

"We should totally get together sometime. Give me a call whenever you feel like it, kay?" Ayumu hugged Ukitake, and then Kyoraku, eyes widening the slightest when something was pressed into her hand. Looking up, obviously surprised, the girl nodded in understanding as the dark-haired captain put a finger to his lips and smiled. She grinned mischievously, knowing full well she now held a bottle of sake.

Shoving the drink deep into her inner pocket, Fujiwara finally waved goodbye to her friends before racing off to the Squad Eleven Barracks. When she got there, her squad was already waiting for her. She giggled cutely, knowing that they were being eaten alive with anxiety.

"Heeey! Guess what? We get to go back to Karakura!" Ayumu announced happily, throwing her arms in the air, careful not to spill the basket of sweets. Mazaaki rose to give her a friendly hug, freezing as he did so. Frowning, he glared at his captain, knowing full well what he had felt-and it wasn't a bottle of water. The blue-eyed girl gave an embarrassed giggle and dashed through the Senkaimon to avoid her sake from being stolen.

-A week later-

Yuki and Shuuki sat at their desks at Karakura High, uneasily tapping their pencils. It was the last period of school and the clock seemed to go by so slowly. The bell rang and the whole class gave a sigh of relief. Thank God it was Friday. That meant no school!

The two girls quickly packed up their bags and pushed past the slower teenagers to get out the door. Looking around, there wasn't a squad member in sight. That was odd, seeing as usually Ayumu was the first one out, being the most hyper.

"Hi Chika!" Yuki announced suddenly, waving to the 8th seat. The raven-haired girl walked over to them, and sighed heavily.

"What's wrong?" asked Shuuki, tilting her head slightly, worried about her friend.

"I'm just worried about our captain. I'm afraid that if we meet Yue again, she might have a worse relapse." Everyone knew she was referring to Ayumu getting a blank look on her face and started to act like Zaraki when they last saw him.

"I know..." Suzuki murmured, hand in her hair. She pursed her lips and tapped her foot, deep in thought before she brightened. "I know! Let's go get something to eat! I'm starved! We could go get some onigri at the stand near the house!"

The other girls both nodded in agreement. It was a good idea to get something in their bellies before heading back to the apartment. "Sounds good!" Chika agreed before trailing after her superior.

Unbeknownst to them, they were followed by young woman with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Beside her, and nearly matching her pace for pace was another girl, her hair in a large hairdo.

"Aurora, shouldn't you be with Miyu?" Meena glared at the girl known as Aurora, one hand on her hips, in the other, an angry looking midnight black cat.

"Sensei and Yueno-san are with her," the blonde replied coolly. "She has gotten a little better since the last time. I do wish that we could get this process over with without killing anyone." Aurora sighed, her blue orbs watching with cat-like intensity as the three shinigami bought onigri and sat down on a nearby bench to eat their meal.

"We can't do anything without killing them. They all have something that is critical to Sensei's plan. Personally, I think it's a waste to kill the lieutenant and the 3rd seat. I don't care about the hollow inside him." As she laughed, grey cat ears poked out from beneath her hair, and hand to her head, she walked away.

Aurora trailed after her sister with her eyes, chewing on her bottom lip. When Meena had disappeared, her gaze turned back to where the three shinigami sat.

"I want Miyu-sama to live…But, we both hate the thought of blood... If only Sensei knew that the Winter War wasn't the cause of her illness… So much would be different..." She mused aloud to herself in a voice too soft to be heard by anyone else. Aurora sighed once again and departed.

Chapter 4: DONE!

Kai: Heya!

Umiki: Ok, I lied...the funny ringtones were not in this chapter or was Ichigo...

Ichigo: Liar! I'll set Kon on you!

Umiki: *sweatdrop* you know that isn't much of a threat...But, I will do my best to have you in the next chapter. I just thought that I should focus on Yuki, Chika, and Shuuki a little more.

Kai: So, LEAVE A REVIEW! Thanks! ^_^

WWP: Yo, whut up? This is WWP saying please be kind and review! :D